PJB-2022-82
IDENTIFICATION OF SOME LOCAL MUSKMELON CULTIVARS WITH INCREASED HEALTHY NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS
Imen Henane
Abstract
Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) is a popular summer fruit consumed all over the world due to the combination of refreshingly sweet taste, pleasant flavour and nutritional value. Tunisia is characterised by muskmelon germoplasm variability with superior quality. The aim of this research was to evaluate five promising local muskmelon cultivars (Maazoun, Galaoui, Stambouli, Trabelsi, Asli) for some physicochemical characteristics, the content of different bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activity. Significant differences were observed across the melon cultivars (P<0.05) for soluble solids (9-12°Brix), pH (5.5-6.6), carotenoid (7.5-59.5 mg/kg FW), phenolic (400-1390 mg GAE/kg FW), flavonoid (251.3-390 mg RE/kg FW), vitamin C (138.2-193 mg/kg FW) contents, as well as hydrophilic (102.28-285.43 µM Trolox/100g FW) and lipophilic (30-180.22 µM Trolox/100g FW) antioxidant activities. Galaoui showed the highest levels of carotenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, vitamin C and antioxidant activities followed by Stambouli. Trabelsi cultivar had also a high level of flavonoids. The enhanced hydrophilic antioxidant activity in Galaoui was significantly correlated to phenolics content (r = 0.91). These findings proved that besides being refreshing summer fruit, muskmelon can be considered as promising healthy produce with superior potential source of natural antioxidants.
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